Many people suffer from knee or joint pain due to arthritis, osteoarthritis, or strain, making it difficult to perform the day-to-day mundane tasks. Thankfully, there are yoga asanas that not only give you relief from the joint pain but also strengthens them to avoid further wear and tear.
Yoga asanas give you a more holistic approach to deal with the weak bone structure, locked joints, increasing the flexibility and mobility of joints, preventing you from injuries, healing the wear and tear. You need to understand as you age, the chances of joint pain increases. Lack of regular practice of yoga asanas (which are easy on your joints), crash diets, eating unhealthy food leading to blockage of proper nutrition to the body further aggravates the situation. Make sure to have a healthy diet, adequate water intake, and regular exercise including yoga to keep your joints strong, flexible, strain & pain-free.
Contradictions-
Yoga works differently for different bodies. Though most of the practitioners experience a significant improvement, some may find practicing yoga worsens their pain. A well-qualified and experienced yoga trainer can guide you better according to your medical condition suggesting gentler styles and modifications. Unlocking the joints first and then slowly progressing towards strength building and flexibility enhancing yoga asanas is very important here.
So, it is always good to practice joint pain-relieving asanas under the surveillance of an expert yoga teacher to avoid any injuries. A good teacher will show you the right way to perform the pose, the use of blocks, blankets for support, introduce you to the gentler styles to allow adequate mobility resulting in lubricating the joints to prevent any injury.
Here 6 common yoga asanas which will ensure healthy, strong, flexible joints that will reduce stiffness and mild pain. Even if don’t have any joint issues you still can perform these asanas to further enhance the health of your joints to elongate their efficiency for the long run.
1) Dolphine plank pose
It strengthens and stretches shoulders, arms, spine, and legs. It improves blood circulation in the body, elevates breathing, and helps in respiring easily. It can cure asthmatic symptoms, knee pain, and any lung-related issues. To avoid back, neck or spinal injury perform this yoga asana under the supervision of an expert yoga teacher.
2) Bridge pose
This pose is known to calm the central nervous system. It strengthens the spine and reduces the strain on the neck thus reducing back pain. Additionally, it helps to develop stronger shoulders and gives relief from the sagged shoulders. This yoga asana is very beneficial to strengthen your knee joints and helpful for the person suffering from osteoporosis.
3) Crescent lunge
Crescent lunge may be a good way to create leg strength and is often useful if you’re affected by sciatica. This yoga asana requires you to be stable in a high or lunge position, strengthening the glutes, quads, and calves. The balancing aspect of this pose strengthens the group of leg muscles, supporting the knees. Thus, it is highly recommended for knee and hip joint strengthening.
4) Child pose
This is a very gentle way to stretch the lower back joints. This pose gives a feeling of relaxation to the entire body. Your yoga instructor can modify this pose in many ways. Use blocks to support your head so the strain on the neck can be reduced. A blanket or towel can be used to give extra padding to your knees so that already hurting knees are not stretched too much. This pose gives a good stretch to your spine without causing irritation to that may result from back-bending poses like the cobra pose.
5) Cat cow pose
We tend to hold tension in our bodies due to everyday stress, inactivity, or lack of stretching. This holding of tension blocks the energy chakras further leading to stiffness and pain. Practicing yoga asanas such as Cat/Cow pose have a relaxing effect on our body that relieves tension from the neck, arms, spine, and central nervous system. It allows you to release heat from these spots and open up your energy centers, ultimately regulating your blood flow and joint movement.
6) Bound angle pose
This yoga asana is incorporated into your daily yoga practice to strengthen and enhance the flexibility of your hip joints. Try to hold this pose for 2-3 minutes to strengthen knee joints. You can keep towels or blankets underneath your thighs for extra support.
Everyone has different abilities with respect to strength and flexibility, so it is advised to stop immediately if you feel too much pain after performing these poses. Always consult your physician or medical therapist before joining yoga classes for joint pain.